The French Presidency: The Changing Public Policy Environment

Abstract

The 1995 election revealed some valuable lessons about the changing nature of the public policy role of the French presidency. This chapter will begin by exploring the traditional public policy dimensions of the presidency. It will then look at the international and domestic pressures which are reshaping the French public policy environment before turning to the nature of the impact of these pressures on the presidency. It concludes by arguing that a traditionally complex and problem-ridden presidential situation has been rendered even more complex and problematic and that this may have important systemic implications.